Comments on: Does Microsoft have an iPhone answer?

CEO Steve Ballmer is speaking at the big mobile phone trade show on Tuesday, and it will be interesting to see the tack he takes vis-a-vis Apple.

[MyRightEye]

Always a day late and a dollar short

Or rather, 5 years late (vista) and a few billion short.

[pabonatl]

Billion and Billion $$$

May be a day late --but with yearly revenues in the 10s of Billions and profits in the billions. Oh and did i say billions in the bank? I quess it pays to be late!?!

[mpitogo]

I agree they have a fragmented OS strategy

I agree they have a fragmented OS strategy. With many versions of
Windows to support they don't hvae a unified platform strategy
WinCE, Win32 then Win for x64 and IA64. Each one not being
compatible with the other.

[raleighboy]

Mobile O/S from MS

The article seems to indicate that MS does not have a mobile OS with touch interface. Did the author hear about Microsoft Mobile OS?. It's in it's 6th version and it is a full blown O/S for the mobile devices. I recently got a At&T 8525 [HTC] with Windows mobile 5 and it's great. I am considering upgrading to Windows mobile 6.

[Maclover1]

Yeah I dont get this news coverage.

The 8525 could do everything the iphone could do, and do it faster and cheaper. It has 3G, you can install thousands of Windows CE applications on it and it supports the #1 business email server in the world...Exchange.

AT&T also has the Tilt....and the Black Jact for non-touch screen that both have 3G and support Exchange as well.

news.com....blinded by the iphone.

[ralfthedog]

MS does not have a mobile OS with MULTI touch interface.

Multi touch is great. The difference between touch and multi touch is like the difference between a keyboard and a keyboard with a mouse.

[sapporobaby]

Ballmer

What I would like to see from Ballmer is a doctors note that he has
learned to shut his pie-hole and is in therapy. Ballmer is a has been
talker that gets less and less attractive with each successive
picture. The guy is an idiot.

[Groucho6]

Balloneymer

Soooooo true. When it comes to Steve Ballmer, only two words need
be said: Monkey Dance.

[MadLyb]

Why do they need response?

While I applaud the iPhone for it's technological ingenuity, it is still very much a niche product and MS already provides the O/S and GUI for the vast majority of Smartphones on the market and has been doing so for years.

An OS, BTW, that is open to all developers and supports multiple hardware platforms and form factors.

Perhaps a better question would be how will the iPhone drive convergence between the systems used by power users (Smartphones) and the 'dumber' systems used by the overwhelming majority of cell phone owners and how should MS position itself to serve that market.

[McBlayde]

Possibly because...

iPhone customer satisfaction is at 82% and its nearest competator is RIM at 51%?

Perhaps a smartphone that is easy to use and doesn't crash on a regular basis would be a GOOD thing?

[Yakk35]

Well becuase...

The iPhone is not a device it's a platform, a mobile computing platform. And if anything freaks MS out it's someone beating them to the punch for anything that delivers applications.

Luckily for them the US mobile phone network is a disaster and it will be years before the true potential of devices like the iPhone take hold but when it does it will be the next big thing.

[rcrusoe]

Microsoft doesn't power most smartphones.

Symbian powers 72.5% of smartphones. Linux is next with 16.9%, and Windows comes in a distant 3rd with 4.6%

http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20070213PD217.html

[LuvThatCO2]

HTC Touch

MS doesnt have to 'answer' the iPhone. If anything, the iPhone is an 'answer' to Windows mobile phones. MS has traditionally been a software company, allowing its parters to build hardware. One partner, HTC, has been making some very nice Windows Mobile phones for years now.

The HTC Touch (Windows mobile 6) was released about a month *before* the iphone, and has both a larger set of features and a lower price. HTC just doesnt have the cult-like following that apple has, thus the lack of exposure. Not sure if its multi-touch, but it can do many things the iphone cant, including better support for bluetooth (DUN, file transfers - the lack of which makes an iphone useless to me) and support for 3rd party applications (again, the lack of which makes an iphone useless to me). And its about $200 cheaper.

I dont mean to make this sound like an ad for HTC, but they've been doing for years now what Apple's been doing for 6 months - yet they get no credit for it. Everyone dances around praising St. Jobs as if he's an innovator, when companies like HTC have been doing his 'innovations' for years.

[ewelch]

Clueless

If you can't see the weaknesses of the HTC Touch compared to the
iPhone, then you aren't paying attention. As for the price
difference, it's $200 MORE Than the iPHone. So, make all the noise
you want, but try to get some facts straight next time.

[techSage]

iPhone is the Whispered Reply to Windows Mobile

Thanks for setting this straight, LuvThatCO2, I was going to type the exact same first two sentences as you.

People in the "Cult of Mac" have had their heads in the sand too long to know how things have actually played out in software history. They just keep blinding saying that MS copies everything and hope their ignorant friends buy that same crap and perpetuate the cycle of idiocy.

[J.G.]

HTC's is hardly a 'touch'

The implementation is not equivalent to the iPhone's multitouch at all. That is why there is also a hardware keyboard. The screen is much smaller and the resolution inferior. Computerworld compared the iPhone, HTC, and Nokia N-95 in a professional usage competition last week. The HTC came in last. Users had problems understanding the controls, even using it to make a call. You are also low-balling the price. Unlocked, it costs more than the iPhone.

[technewsjunkie]

CNET review HTC Touch 7, iPhone MULTI-touch 8

"Touch" screen is NOT the same as multi-touch. Multitouch is far
more advanced and capable. More developments with third party
app.s coming soon!

http://reviews.cnet.com/smart-phones/htc-touch-sprint/4540-
6452_7-32671230-4.html?tag=sub

[Penguinisto]

Right and wrong al at once.

You are correct in that the only reason MSFT is desperate to provide an "answer" is a reason of MSFT's own making.

You are wrong in that the iPhone was somehow an answer to MSFT's mobile OS - Symbian outstrips Windows Mobile by a HUGE margin. One look at the iPhone's form factor will show you that the iPhone's multi-touch screen and one single button is one hell of a paradigm shift away from the ubiquitous cramped device, packed with birth-control-pill-sized keys and a tiny screen.

Wouldn't brag too much about Bluetooth, BTW - it's the absolute most insecure protocol alive, and the less it does, the safer its user will be.

/P

[1olive]

no answer?

Microsoft is and has always been a hack, a kludge. They don't
design, in the traditional sense. they glue together pieces with hot
glue. That is why the operating system and the hardware products
have become " no thing to all men" . To produce a coherent design
you have to have a coherant vision, and the only driving vision that
microsoft has ever had is dollars. Maybe they should cut to the
chase and become counterfeiters.

[MSSlayer]

Why do they need an "answer"?

The insane need for MS to try and get in on anyones success, no matter how far away from what MS does is dragging them down.

They don't need to compete against iPhone.

[ewelch]

People listen to Ballmer?

Isn't that kind of like listening to Marx for economic
information? Once you've been discredited, people don't tend to
listen.

The Zune has 25 percent of the market!

Yeah, uh huh.

The iPhone is the most expensive phone in history!

Right. Never was true, not even close. (Though it was
expensive!)

When will people stop listening to this slave to disinformation?

[Norseman]

What would I like to see Ballmer announce?

How about his resignation?

[volterwd]

If Apple is 'So Innovative'

why did they not foresee that everyone wanted 3rd party applications and have to add it only after uproar?

Seems like if others had that before they aren't all that innovative... I'm sure others will mention multi touch... but thats 1 feature and yet does it really do that much more?

[yaZULU]

its called history

What happens whenever anybody (LOOK AT THAT, ANYBODY)
releases a new product that is powerful and popular? its a target
immediately. Would it have been wise to have an immensely
powerful phone / mini computer with all that personal
information just released into the wild with an SDK? That would
be simply stupid, people would instantly find flaw and exploit
them with custom apps, however by delaying it for a few month,
seriously it hasn't been years, allowing them to get other people
to find the flaws, fix them, overall make it a solid little system,
THEN give people tools to develop program, your going to have
significantly less attacks and exploits to work on. If you think
there wont be iPhone updates between now and February, your
kidding yourself.
Also, another part of the problem was that with the delaying of
leopard, Xcode 3 and core animation weren't available to
programmers to utilize them, which are implemented on the
iPhone, nobody would have been able to fully utilize it, and even
if there was a simultaneous release, i still believe there would
have a delay for the SDK, its not as if people just started saying
'gee whiz, 3rd party apps would be cool - apple give us them'
without apple realising the potential of this device.

[rnieves1977]

Multi-Touch Makes all the difference

I'm personally a PC guy but multitouch is the bomb, it makes all the difference in the world, especially in mobile communications. Thing that I hate about my iphone is the same thing I hate about all apple products... If the system core fails you have to install EVERYTHING all over again. At least with a PC type architecture you can get at your data even after a crash. Oh and having to use itunes blows... Drag and drop would be easier. I love my hacked iPhone =)

[jtfan2004]

What would it be called?

The Phune?

Or drop the 'e' and it's all in 'phun'?

Maybe it'll be powered by Vista and it'll come to us already 'bricked'.

[rnieves1977]

Krap

It'd be called Krap. As in a piece of crap. Granted 99% of my computing products are MS core stuff, but Microsoft sucks at making things like this. I hated the Zune, and no I didn't own an iPod. Microsofts problem is that they try to hard to dominate the market with their stuff and don't make it open-ended enough so that anyone on any platform can use it. Greed makes product crap... That goes for any company.

[t8]

Use Linux

Ballmer should use Linux and admit that Windows is a big fat cow.

[Kontracnet]

Zune 2: Mediocrity grows on trees

I contrasted Microsoft's packaging and introduction of Zune 2 with
Apple's intro of the iPhone. I expect this to apply to MS's answer
to the iPhone as well:

"Zune 2: Mediocrity grows on trees"
http://counternotions.com/2007/10/03/zune-2-mediocrity-
grows-on-trees/

[lil_pengy]

Apple is for consumers, Windows for business

I don't like it, but even people like Penguinisto and myself agree that Windows is for the business world, Macs are for nonprofessionals/consumers who aren't really serious about their computer use, and Linux (the one and only true OS) is for technicians/geeks/servers.

If you are serious about computers, only Linux will work. Everything else is a waste of your time. Penguinisto is absolutely right about that one.

[setheck]

Your Wrong!

I don't know how you can say "Apple is for consumers, Windows for business" in good conscience. It is true that most companies use windows because it has been the standard for a while. But that is only because of the strangle hold over the cheaper workstation market it has held. I use windows at work only because I am forced to by my company. For my personal use I have a Powerbook G4 that I have had for 4+ years and I feel if I could use it for work I would be twice as productive. There would be half as many crashes, just as easy networking and in my opinion the overall experience is more pleasant. I don't understand how you say Linux is the only true OS, I use Ubuntu at home on my desktop and honestly I like almost as much as I like OS X, Ubuntu is a great OS but I have to say, OS X being based on BSD is everything Ubuntu/Linux is with a UI that is easier and more visually pleasing to use. The only upside to Ubuntu is that it is completely open source, which may or may not be better for certain applications. Overall I don't agree with you, I respect your opinion but these days I don't see how you can put windows over OS X, or anything else for that matter, when it comes to the workplace. The barrier for software that requires windows is slowly fading away and I think Vista is dragging MS through the mud. I have a feeling in the next 5-10 years we are going to see a shift in the hold MS has on the business world.

Oh and as a side note, Apple blows MS out of the water when it comes to digital media usage. Apple has been the media standard for some time now. (Notice you only see Apple computers in movies? That is because most movies are produced with Apple computers.)

[Penguinisto]

Love, troll style.

Dan - take a vacation already.

/P

[close5828]

I Agree

Macintosh is certainly more for the Consumer/Prosumer crowd, while Windows is for the Consumer/Prosumer/Business crowd.

I don't know why the Mac fanatical are so up-in-arms over this statement.

[Charles Simmons]

That's funny...

My business runs just fine with an all Mac setup.

If you want a prime example of just how "great" Windows is for
real business, just look at the US Navy. You know: the navy
where almost all of it's NUCLEAR submarines are powered by
Windows, and all reported near catastrophic system failures.
Windows is not only poorly written, it's a national security risk.

I personally LIKE having an OS that's easy to use, easy to
understand, secure, powerful and fast. If that makes OSX
"nonprofessional" , then so be it.

[Seaspray0]

pretty much on target

I'm sure you'll fire up lots of arguements, but what happens in the real world supports your generalizations. Windows tends to be used by the masses (bubba's), linux by the geek or webservers, and mac by people who are flamboyantly stylish (also good at saying things like "I drive a ferarri").

There are exceptions, of course.

[Xenu7-214951314497503184010868]

The Phrune

Microsoft's answer to the iPhone will be called the "Phrune." It will be offered in khaki, brown, pinstripe, and paisley. It will have a tiny manual keyboard that you have to use a toothpick to type on. It will crash every 30 minutes. It will only allow you to "squirt" data to other Phrune users if they're five feet away from you. Wi-fi will be insecure and only slightly faster than 56k dial-up. But . . . Vista will be inside!

[pilaa]

Oh I thought it was called the Zhone

Kinda matches ya?? Zune Zhone...

[Vegaman_Dan]

What, no purple?

You forgot to add prunish purple to the list.

Also, with Vista installed, it will constantly ask you if you are fully aware that making a phone call might expose you to risks up to and including talking to your inlaws. :)

[tundraboy]

Funny about low key Zune 2 debut

It's almost as if MS is embarrassed about the product. And with Bill G's quote about that being thebest they can come up with in six months, I guess they are! Also given their long streak of over-hyped intro followed by underwhelming sales, I guess they're once bitten twice shy.

[tundraboy]

Oops, wrong placement

Meant to be a reply to Kontracnet above.

[Voodoo101]

Tee-Hee

"It's almost as if MS is embarrassed about the product."

As well they should be..........

[OfTheDamned]

Answer and Killers?

So now people are talking about answers to the iPhone and iPhone killers that are going to be introduced to the market. I think the competition is great for innovation in a market that appeared to becoming a little stale, but does the iPhone need to be killed? Has anyone found it to be the end all be all of devices? Has anyone completely ditched all other devices for one product? The simple answer (for most of us) is no. If it was perfect then no one would need or want third party aps.

Now, I'm not dogging Apple or Jobs on this. They built a pretty cool device and after putting their world class marketing machine behind it they hyped the thing up enough that people were willing to stand in line or camp out to get it. If you really stop to think about it that is what happened. These weren't Star Wars geeks, these were regular people with actual money to spend camping out and waiting in line for hours to pay top dollar for a cell phone. As someone who is actually in marketing I find it pretty damn impressive. However, people are still treating the iPhone like it is some kind of revolutionary device. It does a few cool things that other phones don't really do right out of the box and I did have fun playing with it in the store, but that is about it. The iPhone still holds a very small amount of the cell phone market right now and while that may grow it won't knock its competitors out of the market all together. The main reason is that each one of the devices on the market has certain feel and usefulness that is different from each other. Each device is different and each user is different and that is the way it will always be.

Take the iPhone, the 8525, a Treo, a Blackberry, a regular cell phone and give them to different users. Each one of these people is going to find things that they like and hate about each product. I say this because most of the products are used by people in my office right now (exception being the iPhone nobody likes it or the service provider). I use a Treo (running Palm OS), another guy uses the 8525, a few people use different model Blackberrys and everyone else has a regular cell phone. We all love our devices and for different reasons, which is why there are different devices in the first place. If everyone only liked one device then the other companies would just close up shop and call it a day.

So everyone try and find the 'Killer" or 'Answer' for the next product out there and keep on innovating and improving what is already available. If we are all really lucky we may one day see the absolute perfect blend of cell phone, organizer, media player and mobile computer that we all crave so much. And for those of you that claim to have already found the end all be all perfect device I ask you to improve upon your wants/needs and aim a little higher so that the rest of us don't become trapped in mediocrity.